Spray makes cats go away

Palm Beach feral cats that successfully traverse the hazards of urban living know where to find Island Cats feeders.

In a purr-fect world they could wander onto private property and leave without a whisker of evidence. For those who don’t want furry trespassers (who’d like to see feral cats keep their paws to themselves), there are cat-friendly deterrents.

Island Cats of PB, Inc. (www.island-cats.org), the town’s official feral-cat care organization, which feeds, traps and neuters the 550 or so feral cats, has been suggesting the Scarecrow Water Sprayer, a device the emits a 3-second shot of water. “It’s basically a motion detector on a sprinkler head,” said Winifred Barbara, field director of Island Cats. “It shoots off a spray of sprinkler water and scares off the animal … it works on raccoons, possums, stray dogs … and on people; and it got me a couple of times!”

Island Cats has loaned out the device three times but also sells it for an introductory price of $65 per unit. For the scoop, call 689-2287.